Striptease....

Hello my good people!!!

FYI PUKEY MC PUKERSON HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!

Hope you are all well. This week has been another great week. I really think I have made lifestyle changes that I am both willing and able to keep. Even though exercise has been a huge part of my life for the last two years (although not to the extend it is now), my 'diet' is something I (in error) considered a temporary thing.

I have banned the word 'diet' from my daily routine. It is now a lifestyle. I am beginning to appreciate and understand the need for diet and exercise to be complementary of each other. I have become increasingly interested in nutrition - so much so that I have started to look into completing a certificate in it somewhere down the line. I spend ages researching foods I should eat before and after different types of exercise (cardio/weights), what I should be eating on my 'off' days, how to 'shake up' my diet healthily if it needs it, what I should eat in the morning, what I should eat at night (if i need to)...you get the message. That said, I am NOT going to be become obsessive about what I eat, as, at the end of the day, I have to live and enjoy myself. The other day, mom made sausage rolls. I had two of the little buggars, but I made up for it by having a smaller dinner and working out harder. It's all about balance and allowing yourself some simple pleasures. This time last year, if I had eaten a sausage roll, I would have been riddled with guilt and that would have led to comfort eating. It was a vicious circle really!

Another thing I have had to learn to deal with is my metabolism. I have known for years that I have a metabolism that ticks over at snails pace. I have filled myself with miracle metabolism pills over the years - none of which have delivered on their far-fetched and dreamy miracle promise. I have now accepted the facts that I have to deal with it and just drink copious amounts of green tea, drink plenty water, sleep (anyone with a cure for owlitis, let me know!), not cut calories too much, etc. I might actually do a full blog post on that in the future. 

My running is still going well also! I am so, so happy. I get up at 6.30 every morning so I can pound the pavements with my eager legs! It's such a great feeling. My Friday run was horrendous  - I overdid the exercise last week and didn't listen to my body. My head wanted me to run but my legs were begging me to stop. By Monday I was as fit as a fiddle again and even managed to finish the run with a sprint (at -2 degrees too!). I have much to thank my running partner (Roisin) for - her mental strength and physical fitness inspire me...as does her patience. I do miss having Amy beside me (Amy is my other running partner who I haven't run with in ages), but we plan on doing a race in Tuam in January which I am very excited about. 

I went out on Saturday night for a Christmas dinner and to say goodbye to my friends (I am going away for the festive season!). I was so good...I enjoyed a small portion of dinner, and refused desert and mince pies. I did wash it down with plenty vodka and sparkling water, however (as well as other tipples that I really don't want to think about!). Oh ya, and I lost my shoes. How does one even do that?

In my last post, I promised some photos. So allow me to deliver. I am reallllllly nervous about baring myself to the world in this way - but it is what I have been working towards. This are NOT the official pictures. I will get them from Shauna once I get back to Ireland in the New Year - it is motivation for me to keep going!  My mom is a woeful photographer - so apologies! And YES this photos HAVE been Instagrammed but NOT photoshopped. I would also like to point out, these were taken at night when I had my dinner in my belly! I am happy with my results. However, I do see I need to work a bit more on my upper back - I've a 'bit to pinch' up there. But I guess it is better up there than on my tummy or ass!!! 

I am going to shut up now.....

I may do a few posts over Christmas - I'll see!!! I'd like to keep you all motivated - as well as myself!!

Speak to you all soon,

Love,

Little Miss Shamed Redface

xxx


PS Thank you to EVERYONE who has helped me so far - ESPECIALLY Shauna, Gareth, Roisin, Maria, Noreen, and Katrina!

Introducing...Pukey McPukerson & Her Skinny Jeans Phenomenon

Hey people!

This is the longest I've gone without posting! I have just been up to my beautiful eyeballs this last week! Good complaint, I suppose!

So how am I getting on...?

I still feel incredibly in control and focused on everything. I think this is the longest I have gone without 'ruining' this 'lifestyle change.'

The weekend was full of highs as I managed to man-handle myself into my first ever pair of skinny jeans!!!! I NEVER thought I would fit into them as I have huge Irish-Dancing-induced calves and thunder thighs that would put any  overweight superhero to shame. 

Me in a pair of straight legged jeans

SKINNY JEANS!

I've had a busy week so far. I spent about two hours Sean Nós dancing on Sunday (thanks Cathy - and yes I've been practicing!). I legs were quite achy on Sunday evening! 

From Monday, I decided I needed to shake things up and increase the intensity of my exercise before I reached a plateau. The very lovely Róisín Thomas (from Metafit!) offered to come running with me. Apprehensively, I took her up on her offer. When I say I was apprehensive, I guess I was just worried that I wouldn't be able to run at her pace or the distance she was aiming for. However, Shauna's words kept ringing in my ears 'PUSH YOURSELF.' So I replied to her text and agreed a time of 7am on Monday morning, 

On Monday,  my alarm went off at 6am. After putting my alarm clock on snooze until 6.20am I jumped out of bed and made myself drink some coffee (I hate coffee, but I felt I needed a kick start). I manhandled myself into my running skins and hopped in the car. I met Róisin at a local shop. She told me were were going to take it nice and easy, and she really made me feel at ease (inside I was positively shitting myself!). We agreed on a target landmark. So off we went, pounding the pavements of Achill Sound, and being guided by streetlights. I was still dark. I felt like a crazy person. 

Running felt SOOOO good. We got to around 3km and our landmark, but Róisín kept going forward. I was delighted though, as I was really enjoying it and my head was 'in the space.' We incorporated a loop into our run and before long, we were running towards home. A couple of times, Róisín said 'right, up the pace until we get to the next sign.' I really had to push myself to keep up...but I did. Then we were about 500m from home, and I felt as if I was going to die. I am not even joking. You hear about these 'runner's walls' people face, so I thought it was one of those so I just pushed through - despite my feeling of impending doom. We sprinted the last 200m or so. For a split second, I was ecstatic that I had managed to run 7.5 km without stopping having not run that distance since last August.

However, my ecstasy was short-lived. My impending doom feeling came pack to haunt me. And it wasn't pretty. I threw up...yup out came my coffee! It was disgusting. I was sooooo mortified puking in front of Róisín. I am sure she was dying to laugh inside (as it was funny), but she remained composed God bless her! Despite the disgustingness of it all, I have to admit I felt great. I think it was my body telling me....'o hold on a second McGinty, you're pushing me out of my comfort zone.' My body just went into shock. And that is what made puking so great. 

I should have got a picture of it....:p

I enjoyed a super hot shower and poached eggs when I got home (not together, mind!). I was buzzing for the whole day, and it really made me realise - why would anyone pay for happy pills when you have exercise? 

Monday night was Metafit night. It was a fairly challenging workout and I sweat a lot! Róisín and I agreed to run again on Tuesday morning. I did some stretches before bed so I would be as right as rain the next morning. I tried to have an early night but I just couldn't sleep. I eventually fell asleep at 4am. 

Needless to say, I slept through all 25 alarms I had set. Thankfully, my most reliable alarm clock - mammy McGinty' came and woke me up at 6.45. Without my coffee, I set off again to meet Róisín. We aimed for 8km on Tuesday and I felt confident despite my pukiness and slighted achiness from Mondays run/Metafit. 

We got to the half-way mark and stopped to stretch a little bit. It was a bitterly cold morning so it had been hard to warm up. I think the stretching gave me my second wind! Off we went again. I was really trying to concentrate on getting my breathing right. I find breathing while running really difficult (and yes, I know it is sort of necessary!). I could feel blisters forming on the soles of my feet but I tried to ignore it and keep going. That was my main goal...not to stop. 

All was going well (well apart from a but of a breakdown at 7km, through which Róisín became my psychologist!) until, again, 200m from home, my stomach started cramping. I had to stop and as soon as I did I become overcome with the feeling of frustration and the need to puke. I started dry retching, but as there was nothing in my tummy, Little Miss Pukey McPukerson stayed in her box. I tried to start running again but I just couldn't. I actually thought I was going to pass out. So I gave in and walked. Body 1 - Siobhan 1. 

Bad news though., I acquired some seriously impressive blisters on my feet! And before people start hounding me with suggestions, YES I got a gait analysis done before I bought my trainers, NO my trainers don't need replacing and YES I have tried 1000 mile socks. I usually run with two compeed patches stuck to my feet...but that just didn't cut it this time!

You probs don't want to see this but seeing as you didn't get a picture of my vomit, you should count yourself lucky :p

Waking up on Wednesday (today) was cruel. I felt like I had been hit in the face by 2 weeks worth of DOMS. As soon as I got up and did some stretches, I was fine though, and looking forward to kettlebells this evening. 

Kettlebells was really good this evening. We used the 12kg weight for a few swings and ab work. Lying here in bed, I can feel some tightness in my tummy -WOOHOO!!!

Is it wrong that I get a kick from self-inflicted pain through exercise?

On a more negative note, I weighed myself today. I KNOW, I KNOW, I promised myself I wouldn't but I really feel as if I am skinnier than I ever have been. I was sickened to see I am still around the 10 stone mark. But bla bla bla muscle...fat...etc. 

Anyways, I have to go and sort out these stupidly sexy blisters. I have another run in the morning with Róisín - we might hit the 9km tomorrow! Tomorrow evening I have dancercise, which I LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!! 

Over and out,

Siobhán

P.S. I will do the challenge on Friday! :) 
P. P. S. Before and after pictures (half naked) coming next week! :/